Economic Domination

[antisocialmunky]

I hope you enjoy your ridiculously long trade routes that get pirated by absolutely everyone.

[Ordani]

I hope you enjoy your ridiculously long trade routes that get pirated by absolutely everyone.

On the contrary, trade routes in ETW are almost totally fire and forget. I think I've had to run various pirates or belligerent fleets out of the African theatres ... three times at most in a game.

While I like the trade element to the game, the amount of money you can bring in so easily is simply too much. I've had 100k in trade in early games with virtually no maintenance overhead or risk in getting or losing it.

[andrewt]

That's always been the problem with CA's games. There's really steep diminishing returns when it comes to economic buildings. The early buildings are just way better than the later ones. The "upgrades" are more expensive yet add less.

I've had some money problems early in the game. Mostly it's the Spanish and Pirates who I'm at war with. The other is that UP starts trading with both Maratha and Mughal and they keep blocking each other's port.

[Warhammer3025]

How do you guys rush the trade lanes fast enough to build up such astronomical incomes? As France, i can usually secure 4/5s of brazil, 3/5s of ivory coast, 2 in madagascar, and 1 in the west indies, without going to war and only fighting pirates. I spammed Indiamen like crazy was rushing my fleets out as quickly as possible but that was all i could manage before GB, UP, OE, Mara, and Per parked on teh rest. I make more than enough money anyway, but i'm just shocked at how much some of you folks can generate so early in the game, as well as teching up so damn quickly. I generally just make 4 schools, just to keep things simple, how many do you eco whores have, 10+?

[andrewt]

I think GB has an advantage early on. As UP, I only had 1 college until 25-30 turns into the game. I had 4 trading ports to start with however, as well as 3 indiamen in the East Indies already. You can claim everything in the East Indies as UP except the one near the pirates in the first turn. Just park your sloop on the last one you need.

[Miracle]

I think GB has an advantage early on.

No kidding. Their home region is on an unified island un-invadable by the AI, they get a Dockyard, and they're in good position to conquer the Pirates and squat on the Ivory Coast. They have two strong allies/trading partners available and aren't overextended.

I just played as the Ottomans and it's a world of difference in terms of early game troubles. By turn 5 four factions declared war on me (on top of Russia) and my trade routes were blockaded left and right. The Ottoman early game units are mostly rubbish and the tax income isn't great. The starting leader is horrid. There are lots of land invasion routes to defend and massive amounts of land area to cover. On the plus side, you get hand mortars later on which are pretty awesome. Overall it's a faction for land warriors who want a challenge and not bean counters with fancy ships.

[antisocialmunky]

Hand Mortars... I feel like wanting to play them now.

[MikeV]

That's always been the problem with CA's games. There's really steep diminishing returns when it comes to economic buildings. The early buildings are just way better than the later ones. The "upgrades" are more expensive yet add less.

This is most likely intentional: otherwise, you'd have the problem that the leading faction's lead would snowball exponentially and they'd be untouchable -- unless every other faction allied together against them and coordinated to take them down. Not likely, with this AI.

[antisocialmunky]

On the contrary, trade routes in ETW are almost totally fire and forget. I think I've had to run various pirates or belligerent fleets out of the African theatres ... three times at most in a game.

While I like the trade element to the game, the amount of money you can bring in so easily is simply too much. I've had 100k in trade in early games with virtually no maintenance overhead or risk in getting or losing it.

I was mainly refering to your Mediterranian one after you take the Crimea. I've seen people fight over who gets to pirate it. Its rather amusing.

[Quillan]

In my GB campaign I'm getting about 20k per turn in trade just with the Ottoman Empire, and another 17k or so just from France. Long term trade really adds up.

[butterfingers158]

In my UP campaign I get 80k per turn in trade, which is promptly spent on military upkeep. My 120k per turn profits are all from taxes. 1774 and I have almost 5 million in the bank :)

[Jong]

Wow you all seem to earn a lot more than me

How do you all stop the European powers from disliking you when you go on mad conquest sprees? Or do they hate you but still trade anyway? The state gift bonus is only +100 after all.

How do you guys rush the trade lanes fast enough to build up such astronomical incomes? As France, i can usually secure 4/5s of brazil, 3/5s of ivory coast, 2 in madagascar, and 1 in the west indies, without going to war and only fighting pirates. I spammed Indiamen like crazy was rushing my fleets out as quickly as possible but that was all i could manage before GB, UP, OE, Mara, and Per parked on teh rest. I make more than enough money anyway, but i'm just shocked at how much some of you folks can generate so early in the game, as well as teching up so damn quickly. I generally just make 4 schools, just to keep things simple, how many do you eco whores have, 10+?

I think you need to put multiple trade ships per slot. I've got about 5 each. They give diminishing returns when you have more than 2 each though.

I did have about 10 universities, but then I ran out of techs to research

[antisocialmunky]

You gift them money or straight up buy territory from then :)